Cats On Fire - The Province Complains

Cats On Fire are a Finnish band with a heavy heavy thing for British foppery. Taking their major cues from The Smiths, Belle & Sebastian and i'm guessing more than a helping of The Divine Comedy and Pulp, their debut The Province Complains is a pleasantly nostalgic romp which, although it never reaches the heights of its influences, is still an impressive achievement and certainly bodes well for the future. Indeed as a number of bands have proved, it's very hard to make Smithsy songwriting sound great. I'm personally a sucker for anything slightly Morrissey sounding (i'm an unashamed Gene fan for instance), so I probably enjoyed this a lot more than most casual bystanders, but I think most people will still agree that it's nice to hear some indie that doesn't take it's first pointers from The Libertines or the Happy Mondays. It's actually quite diverse in its directions too, the bands youthful exuberance shining through and giving them a self-confidence that thankfully comes over as endearing rather than irritating. See what you think, and if you want more info check out their website.

Cats On Fire - I Am The White-Mantled King
Cats On Fire - The Smell Of An Artist